Known specialized machinery for surface texture processing is expensive. Abrasive media structures in specialized machinery utilize a large working tool support for applying an abrasive force to a material to be surface processed. Automatic surface treatment machines (which include polishing, texturing, brushing and the like) are powerful, and some method of providing abrasive force and power which protects the abrasive tools and machinery from damage should be used. Specialized abrasive media structures are typically used with a two plate driver system as a pair of plates arranged so that a bottom plate carries the abrasive media, a top plate drives the bottom plate through some vertically resilient structure which allows the bottom plate to be upwardly displaced by pressure of the surface being worked due to any non-flat areas of the surface (typically stone) being worked.
For users of general CNC vertical spindle machines for surface texture processing is fraught with problems, including problems with setup, problems with handling non-flat surfaces, and problems in setting up the use of a general vertical turning center to handle surface texturing. A specialized tool working support represents an investment for the user that may only engage with certain abrasive tools. A user must then purchase a variety of types of abrasive working support tools, one for every style and size of abrasive device to be used.
In other cases the user must either create that user's own specialized tool working support (an expensive and time consuming proposition) or try to clumsily modify other specialized tool working supports which may not be intended for use with the abrasive device in stock. A specialized tool working support may have such specific structures that gaining access to the structures to change them can be a significant and time-consuming challenge. In other instances, a user that has a particular type of specialized tool working support, may not have availability of the abrasive device needed, either in stock or available commercially.
Strength of mounting and ability for use of a variety of sizes of abrasive structures is also a problem. Conventional abrasive structures found around the shop and which have a manual grinder connection may be attempted to be used, but this type of manual connection while sufficient for manual use is weak by comparison and may likely break when used in automated machinery, causing damage beyond the damage just to the abrasive structures. The typical manual mounting system for abrasive structures is that of a snail lock device with a ⅝″-11 pitch or an M-16X2 female threaded opening for mounting to a manual grinder on one surface with a snail lock structure on the opposing surface allowing the device to be attached and driven by a hand held electric grinder. The attachment possible utilizing this type of connection is limited in strength of connection and is also limited in that no access is possible through the center of the device due to the small size of the connection, ⅝″ diameter, and the fact that the connection is made via a threaded member that is solid in nature. In the case of a resilient device comprised of an upper and lower plate with an abrasive structure being mounted to the lower plate it is not possible to have access to the upper plate axially from the exposed side of the lower plate without disassembling the lower plate from the overall assembly, a time consuming procedure. As but one example, an extensive change out of the structures on the bottom plate might be required to switch from Frankfurt shoe style attached abrasive devices to a snail lock series of abrasive devices. Many hours can be spent over the course of a production year changing between the two systems. The economic disadvantages of the alternative of having a different system for each type of abrasive media are only made worse in the case of changing between different sizes and different types of abrasive devices.
For example, the conversion from a Frankfurt shoe to a snail lock system would involve un-bolting three pairs of angled shoe holders, at two bolts per holder, and bolting in for example three specialized female snail lock attachment plates, before locking the individual snail lock brush-type abrasives. If the user wanted to have a pair of different bottom plates upon which snail lock and Frankfurt shoe were attached, the bottom plate and all of its component parts would be required to remove and replace onto the structure supporting such plates.
Neither of these two onerous disassembly/assembly prospects is of much help to the CNC user who does not usually perform enough surface treatment to own a specialized surface texturing machine, and who needs to have surface treatment capability economically. Further, where the amount of surface finishing is even more occasional, a user's having to keep two or more sets of larger abrasive working tool holders is both expensive in terms of cost investment, tool storage, and sacrificed floor area.
Utilization of components is another factor. A specialized upper tool holder structure useful only for stone texturing, for example, and which is very rarely used represents an expenditure for a structure which is generally not utilizable elsewhere. Users need to have the ability for increased processing capability and task flexibility at a minimum investment cost and setup time, and with overall minimum idle inventory. Any system which can enable the least expensive and greatest flexibility use with minimum cost and time can become a valuable, cost advantage standard.
What is needed in the area of surface texturing is a system which will provide: (1) minimum changeover from one type of abrasive structure to the other, such as from Frankfurt shoe to snail lock; (2) Utilization of tool holders which are very likely already in the user's inventory; (3) easy access for inspection, assembly and dis-assembly should problems or the need for small repairs arise; (4) maximum utilization of different sizes of abrasive structures which the user has on hand; (5) an attachment system for abrasive tools which is forgiving of surface defects and protects against most types of breakage during surface texturing operations; and (6) a system having greater support for abrasive tools commensurate with the CNC environment.